May 7, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Jason
Briefel
202-293-1550
FLEOA ISSUES CEASE AND
DESIST ORDER TO TSA FOR POLICY THAT PLACES FEDERAL AIR MARSHALS LIVES AT RISK
Washington, DC – Today, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA)
announced that it has issued a CEASE AND DESIST order to the Transportation
Security Administration (TSA) for persistent actions of TSA’s Office of
Inspection (TSA-OI), including, but not limited to, randomly questioning host
country hotel employees regarding alcohol consumption of Federal Air Marshals
("FAMS”), while they are in mission status on foreign soil which is a betrayal
of the FAMs presence and identities, placing their lives unnecessarily at risk.
Random and
reckless exposure of the identity of FAMs in a host country exposes FAMs, who
are not permitted to carry a firearm in the host country, to becoming targets
of terrorism or terrorist threats, as well as undermining aviation security
generally by providing foreknowledge to those seeking to do harm to the flying
public by exposing who FAMs are, which fatally compromises anonymity.
FAMs have
been targeted by international criminal and terrorists while abroad, to include
the recent attack on FAMs in the Lagos airport in Nigeria that evidences the
reality of these threats.
"It is
unfathomable that the TSA and FAMS Management would promulgate a policy that
directly divulges the undercover identity of FAMs, especially overseas,” FLEOA
Federal Air Marshal Agency President Frank Terreri stated. "TSA is not only
endangering the American public by this inane policy, they are setting up FAMs
to be identified by terrorists while unarmed overseas and for possible
abduction. With the desire of Islamic radicals to publicly execute any
potential enemy, the prospect of them targeting Federal Air Marshals for
beheadings and/or public executions is a real threat. To this date, the TSA has
sat on their hands while placing Federal Air Marshals in dire jeopardy.”